What is PitchCom? Definition and Examples
PitchCom is the MLB-approved encrypted wearable that lets catchers send pitch type and location calls electronically to pitchers and fielders, replacing traditional finger signs.
What is PitchCom?
PitchCom is the MLB-approved electronic pitch-calling system that replaces a catcher's finger signs with encrypted wireless audio. The catcher wears a wristband transmitter with nine programmable buttons, and the pitcher wears a tiny receiver tucked into the sweatband of his cap. When the catcher presses a button, a pre-recorded voice plays in the pitcher's ear — for example, "fastball, low away" or "slider, in." Up to three additional position players (typically middle infielders and the center fielder) can also wear receivers so the entire defense knows what's coming. MLB approved PitchCom for regular-season use beginning in April 2022, and by 2023 the league expanded the rules so pitchers can also wear a wristband and call their own pitches.
How PitchCom Works
The device is manufactured by ProMystic and PitchCom Sports Solutions LLC. The transmitter is a 9-button wristband — three rows of three — that the catcher programs before each game. Standard configurations map buttons to pitch type plus location combinations (fastball, curveball, changeup, etc., paired with locations like "up and in" or "low and away"). The signal is encrypted and short-range, broadcasting only inside the ballpark.
Audio playback supports multiple languages, including English, Spanish, Japanese, and Korean, so a Spanish-speaking pitcher hears the call in Spanish even if the catcher's primary language is English. The receiver itself is a small bone-conduction speaker that sits against the player's head under the cap or helmet, making it audible only to the wearer.
Worked Example
When the Yankees rolled out PitchCom across their pitching staff in 2022, catcher Jose Trevino became one of the system's most visible advocates, citing the ability to flash a single call to four defenders simultaneously — eliminating the cross-up risk where a runner on second steals signs. Across MLB in 2022, the league's average time between pitches dropped roughly half a second per pitch versus 2021, with PitchCom contributing alongside the eventual 2023 pitch clock rollout.
A typical sequence: with a runner on second base in a 2-2 count, the catcher presses a single button mapped to "slider, glove side." The pitcher, shortstop, and second baseman all hear the call instantly. No multi-sign cycle. No runner peeking at fingers. The pitcher delivers within the 18-second pitch clock with the entire defense pre-aligned.
Why PitchCom Matters
PitchCom solved three problems at once: sign-stealing (a constant concern after the Astros' 2017 trash-can scandal), pace of play (cycling through complex sign sequences with a runner on second added 5-10 seconds per pitch), and cross-ups (catchers and pitchers reading different signs caused passed balls and HBPs). For front offices, the device meaningfully changed how rosters are built — teams no longer need to rotate catchers based purely on sign-management ability, and the marginal value of a defensively elite framing backup decreased slightly.
For pitchers, PitchCom interacts with the pitch clock: a faster signal call leaves more time to set up extension and tempo. Pitchers who self-call via the wristband now control their own sequencing entirely.
Limitations and Misconceptions
PitchCom is not mandatory — teams can still use finger signs, and many catchers carry a backup wristband in case the battery dies mid-inning. The system also doesn't eliminate tipping: a pitcher who grips a curveball differently in his glove still tips, regardless of how the call was transmitted. And while PitchCom is encrypted, in-stadium audio leakage has been reported when receivers are turned up too loud — a few broadcast microphones have picked up faint pitch calls from the dugout area.
Related Terms
In Legends Deck: PitchCom isn't a card stat, but it shapes the simulation indirectly — catchers with elite pop time and pitchers with quick tempo receive small bonuses to controlling the run game and avoiding cross-up events in our pitch-sequencing engine.